Blameless
by only-some-loser
Summary: Texas may be the Lone Star State, but that doesn't mean everyone there has to be alone. /or/ Jack is always there when Mac needs him most, whether he knows it or not. (tag to 1x06, Wrench)


**AN: This is my sixth installment in my personal challenge to write a tag to every episode. I gave Jack's horses dumb names but those were the first names I thought of, and I couldn't get myself to change them. This is a tag to 1x06, Wrench. I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review!**

* * *

To say that Mac was surprised to see Jack sitting on the bench outside his hotel in Texas, casually reading the newspaper, would be an understatement. Mac was usually pretty unflappable, which made it all the more amusing to Jack when the blond's jaw fell and eyebrows came together in confusion, head even tilting slightly.

"This town's high school football team is on their way to the state championship, how great is that?" Jack asked, letting out a chuckle when Mac dropped the confused look in favor of rolling his eyes.

"Jack, what are you doing here? I was supposed to meet you at the airport tomorrow morning," Mac said, walking the final few feet to the bench from the parking lot.

"Oh come on Mac, you didn't honestly think that I was gonna let you go to the great state of Texas without me comin' along now did ya? Were you really gonna come and go without goin' to the ranch? Nana would be hurt if she knew..." Jack replied, shaking his head for effect. Really, the kid shouldn't have been that surprised. Jack knew he'd been in a bad headspace after all that had happened with the Ghost, so he should have expected the man to be there for him, no matter where he was. Plus, Annabelle and her mom did live in Texas, and happened to be only an hour from the ranch. Jack could never pass up that golden opportunity to go back home, and of course drag the kid with him. His grandparents, as ancient as they were, really loved Mac. Jack would take any excuse he could to bring the kid to the ranch, and renewed heartbreak and doubt were as good a reason as any.

"I didn't exactly think I had time," he responded, looking down and a little guilty at Jack's words. "My flight leaves tonight, but I know you knew that."

"Not anymore it doesn't. I got your flight switched. We leave tomorrow night, which gives us plenty of time to get over to the ranch, spend the day there, and get back to LA for the Halloween party. It's all done and settled so you may as well check out of the hotel and give me the keys to your rental car," Jack said, already reaching his hand out to take Mac's keys.

"Wait, why do you get to drive? It's signed in my name," Mac replied with an incredulous look on his face.

"I'm older, so I get to drive. That's how it works," Jack replied with a grin, quickly swiping the keys from Mac's hand. "Now go check out," he said over his shoulder as he began walking towards the rental.

He didn't see it, but Mac shook his head with an exasperated smile.

* * *

Jack had wisely decided to let his grandparents know that he and Mac were coming for a visit. He didn't want to give them a heart attack in their old age. However, they were ecstatic to have them.

Being conniving as they were, the two decided to take the visit to their advantage, and let Mac and Jack take care of the horses that night. That was all to Jack's benefit anyway, since he had been looking for an excuse to be alone with his partner in a calm atmosphere. An evening ride would be perfect.

"What do you say about taking Dusty and Silver out for a quick ride before we take care of the barn?" Jack asked as the two made the short trek from the house to the stable.

"I don't know, Jack," Mac answered with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. The kid seemed pretty beat. "I kinda just wanna go to bed." He paused. "It's been a long day, ya know?"

"Come on man, you and I both know there's nothing more relaxing than a nice evening ride. Texas is beautiful and you should really take advantage of it while you can. You need it," Jack said in a calming voice.

"Alright, fine, but only because I know you won't shut up about it," Mac answered with a smile, unlatching the door the barn and pulling it open.

To most people, the scent of the barn would have been pretty unpleasant to say the least, but Jack wasn't most people. To him, the smell was almost home. Jack took a glance at his partner. _A_ _lmost_ , home.

"It's been so long since you've been down here to the ranch, do you even remember how to ride?" Jack asked with a teasing grin. He would actually be surprised if Mac said no. The kid rarely forgot anything, and riding a horse was a lot like riding a bike. It's not just something you forget.

"Ha ha ha you're very funny," Mac replied, not even glancing at Jack as he saddled Silver, the younger of the two horses. Jack just smiled, putting on Dusty's bridle.

Within a few minutes, both horses and men were ready to ride. Jack took the lead, and rode Dusty at a trot down towards the trail leading to the lake. Mac followed, riding almost as well as Jack. He did teach the kid everything he knew about riding.

The two rode in silence, simply enjoying the refreshing air and each other's presence. Crickets and cicadas could be heard from the bushes, and birds sang their evening songs on every tree. A gentle breeze cooled the hot Texas air off to a pleasant degree. To many, it was heaven.

Jack had been mentally debating how long he should wait before starting the conversation with his partner that he had really gone out to Texas to have. He eventually decided that it would be best to wait until they got to the lake, where the serenity of the gently lapping water could hopefully calm Mac's mind, and his heart. That also gave Jack a bit more time to figure out how best to say it.

But soon enough, the forest trail turned more and more sandy as they approached the beach. Jack brought Dusty to a stop after the horse took a few steps onto the beach. Mac quickly came to rest beside his partner, gazing out at the water.

"Hey, Mac?" Jack asked somewhat hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

Jack paused before continuing. "I think there's something we should talk about it, just a little bit."

Jack should see in Mac's eyes that he was confused, and a little worried.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine, bud, no need to worry, but we need to talk about the Ghost."

Mac turned away from Jack, making it a little hard to Jack to hear it when he said, "we don't need to, I'm fine."

"Yeah we do. I know you blame yourself for what happened to your CO, and I know you woulda blamed yourself had I gone kaboom the other day-"

"Don't say that, Jack, please don't say that," Mac interjected, turning back to his partner and shaking his head, his eyes watery. "I don't even want to think about that, okay? Do you realize what that would have done to me, if you- if you died?"

"Do you have any idea what it does to me when I see you holding onto things and blaming yourself for things that are not your fault? I told you then, and I'm tellin' you now, it's not your fault. It was never your fault."

Mac didn't respond for a moment, but looked away from Jack to quickly wipe his eyes.

"But it was supposed to be me who stepped on that pressure plate in Afghanistan, not Peña. I should've been able to stop the Ghost before you stepped-"

"Now hold on right there hoss. As sorry as I am about what happened to your CO, I am forever in his debt. Because of his sacrifice, I got to have this punk kid in my life to watch out for. I can never repay him for that. You are here for a reason, and it was you who didn't step on that plate for a reason, are you hearin' me? Call it fate or the Big Man himself, but there is a reason why it happened, and none of it is your fault. Not even a little bit.

"As for me stepping on it yesterday, there was no way you could have prevented that. I was gonna chase the bad guy, that's what we do. We don't have time to stop and think that maybe we might be stepping on a bomb. It's all a part of the job, brother. None of that was your fault. But you know what is your fault?" Jack stopped until Mac looked up and made eye contact with him again. "Me being alive today. If it weren't for you, I would dead. That's all there is to it. We're okay. We'll get him eventually, and then he'll pay for everything he's done. But there's nothin' you need to pay for, so stop carrying around all that needless guilt. People were never meant to carry their burdens alone, so please, Mac, let me help you," Jack pleaded.

Mac looked away from Jack for a brief moment before turning back to him.

"Maybe- maybe you're right," he stammered softly with a small shrug. "Maybe you're right."

"You're darn right I'm right. Now come on, let's get these guys back in the barn," Jack said, reaching out and briefly squeezing Mac's shoulder before turning Dusty around and leading him back down the trail.

Mac lingered for a moment by the lake, and closed his eyes. All he felt was serenity.


End file.
